Want to make a difference? Please donate to The Night Owl!

Follow us on Twitter:

According to published reports from the mainstream media, Apple’s contract factories have already begun to ramp up production of the iPad 3 for expected introduction in March or perhaps April. Gone are rumors that the release will coincide with the birthday of the late Steve Jobs, February 24th. Apple simply doesn’t observe anniversaries, and one involving their co-founder won’t make a difference.

What makes this sort of speculation more intriguing is the fact that it didn’t come from a Mac rumor site. One of the more interesting reports, which appeared at Bloomberg, mentions a “high-definition screen,” attributing the story to “three people familiar with the product.”

Before considering the details, you have to wonder what three people Bloomberg is referring to. Certainly any respectable — and not-so-respectable — news outlet will protect sources. But only people who actually work at Apple, or one of their suppliers, would have accurate information to present. It may well be that, as I’ve long suspected, Apple executives are privately briefing certain media outlets about future product plans, so long as they aren’t directly quoted.